Date: 9/21/97

Players: Kathy, JC, Davy, Bryan, Kris, Jeff, David

Characters: DM, Rio & Glow, Caland & Beneton, Erin, Bo, Saunders, Merlor

Rio knocks the priestess down and sets a paw heavily on her chest until Bo comes over to tie her up. Glow begins her life detection ability and can just barely discern the thief retreating down the road at a rapid pace so she calls out to the group so that they will know where he is. Rio returns to human form and casts Dispel Magic on Saunders which is successful. Glow continues to scan for the other invisible bad guy but detects nothing but the ordinary forest life signs.

When Caland dispels the hold on Erin, the barbarian runs over to one of the war horses and cuts it loose so he can try to chase down the fleeing thief. Rio then goes over to Merlor and casts Cure Serious Wounds. Glow spends one final round trying to locate any hidden life forms, this time around behind them, and then she gathers up Halee and returns to the group.

Rio sees that Caland is in pretty bad shape and casts Cure Light Wounds on him. Then after making sure that Glow and Halee are ok, he casts Detect Evil. All of them are evil and the druid announces this to the group. By now Bo is gathering up the enemy and Merlor and Caland are removing their valuables and weapons. These guys were downright loaded

Rio heads off to the north and comes to the bend in the trail where Erins horse is munching contentedly. He sees where the barbarian followed the fleeing thief off into the forest and calls out for Erin in a loud voice. The barbarian has gotten very turned around and comes up from the south.

After a few minutes the priestess tries to get our attention and Caland, Beneton and Saunders go over to her and ungag her. She offers their goods and any information in exchange for letting them go. As the group discusses what to do Glow contacts her grandmother with the names of the bad guys and says that she will contact her again in a few hours to find out whether or not they are wanted in Waterdeep, and if so how badly. The group continues during the afternoon (force marching the captives) and comes some six hours later to a good stopping point where camp is made. The temperature is dropping and it will probably be below frost level during the night.

After dinner Glow contacts the Great Druid again to find out about their captives and then she and Rio take the first watch. The Great Druid says that she could find out nothing about them. Rio makes sure the prisoners are still secured well and then he takes his position on watch. The first and second watches are both uneventful as is the third.

In the morning Rio changes back into bear form hoping for a bit of the intimidation factor as we again speak with the priestess. Somehow we come to the agreement that if they will tell us what we wish to know, and promise not to raise arms against us, that we will let them go. She tells us that they were hired by an a man who refused to give his name. Caland, using his ESP, gets a good picture of the man who was dressed in High Waterdeep fashion complete with the finery usually associated with the rich. Caland would be able to recognize him if he saw him. If successful they were to meet the man again six days hence for dinner at a place called the Raging Lion.

After we allow the prisoners their freedom Rio follows them for perhaps 10 to 15 minutes to make sure they don't double back and then stops to watch them disappear. Then he lopes back to the rest of the group and takes up a position walking besides Glow and Halee.

It is almost noon when Merlor wanders off to fill up his water skins at a nearby creek. When he returns he is a full 16 inches taller than when he left. After some discussion (and a good self examination) he realizes this to be true and tells us of a skeleton leaning against a tree that had a ring hanging around its neck. Merlor naturally removed it (after all it wasn't doing anything for the dead guy) and after doing so inadvertantly wished himself taller so that he could gather some apples growing in a nearby tree.

We continue traveling through the afternoon and come to an ideal camp site where we stop for the evening. The first watch is uneventful. However during the second watch the entire campsite area is plunged into a magical blackness. Merlor immediatly blows his crude horn and Caland is successful at casting a Light spell which re-illuminates the area. There are four large reptilian creatures swooping down on the group.

MELEE

It soon becomes apparent that these creatures have been sent for the Traveller as they all head straight for Merlor. He is badly bitten and falls into a catatonic slumber only to be quickly wrapped up by the reptilian coils. Two of the four are dispatched in short order by Bo and Erin but the other two (the ones on Merlor) have succeeded in removing the Traveler and leap into the air in an attempt to get away. Fortunatly neither escapes as one his held by Saunders Snake Charm spell and the other is crisped by a hastily thrown Lightning Bold from Beneton. Caland checks Merlor and discovers that the Traveler has indeed been taken and quickly goes to locate it in the remains of the cooked creature.

During the third watch, just as the dawn is creeping into the morning sky and the group begins to stir, several small balls of light descend into the campsite and approach what's left of the nights capfire. After a bit of initial alarm (which quickly subsides when no agressive actions are made) those awake watch with fascination as whatever these things are literally consume the campfire and then float quietly away.

We set of in the morning and the day passes uneventfully. In the late afternoon we come upon a medium sized halfling bravely attmpting to protect his small cart from several creatures that would most accuratly be described as crow-men. Merlor immediatly charges into battle while both Caland and Beneton cast Magic Missles.

MELEE

Rio, seeing that this is liable to be over very quickly, tries to stay out of the battle but is attacked none the less and he retaliates out of habit more than any concern for his own safety. After the creatures are driven away Merlor makes sure the old halfling is ok and strikes up a conversation with him.

His name is Nibbin and is is grateful for the timely assistance. He is also travelling to Waterdeep, with his cart full of mead, and jumps at the opportunity to travel the rest of the way in our company. He offers to game with any who wish.

We travel for perhaps another hour and then find a good spot to spend the night. The night passes uneventfully and the next morning we set off again and come to the city gates a bit before lunchtime. It turns out to be tax month and we are charged 50 GP each to enter the city.

Rio learns that the group has a home called Ghost Walk Manor, in Sea Ward, which just happens to be on the way to the Sacred Grove so he and Glow stop in with the rest to familliarize themselves with the place and the neighborhood.

Estarria is there waiting for us and the Druid bows deeply to her as we all gather around to tell her of triumphs and battles. She pays us handsomely for the return of the Traveller (5000 GP each) and then departs. Rio and Glow leave their share safely in the groups custody and then head for the Sacred Grove and a happy reunion with Glows grandmother, the Great Druid.

After several days of relaxing and restoring strength in the grove Rio and Glow set out to learn what they can of their former adventuring group. No information can be found on Dre and Raagnar but Elrin, now well used to life in Waterdeep's upper class, has retired from activly providing security for his inherited family's shipping business and has opened up his own magic shop called "Uncle Elrin's Cupboard of Trifles and Trinkets". We greet him warmly and the man positivly beams when Glow tells him an abbreviated version of the previous 10 years beginning with their trip from Waterdeep and the birth of Arial.

"So your adventuring again. Good for you." Elrin says after Glow finishers her story. "Sometimes I think of the good old days and the fun and glory we had... but it's never enough to get me back out there." He pats his belly which has grown considerably from the time he was a lean, mean adventuring machine. "Well... look around. I've got lots of good stuff and for you it's all 10% off."

Rio finds an excellent set of magical leather armor, which just happens to be in his price range, and promises to return the next day with payment. As he and Glow make the short walk to Ghost Walk Manor the druid takes his wifes hand and smiles.

"It's good to see Elrin is doing well." he says after a moment. "I just wish we could find out something about Dre and Raagnar. It just doesn't seem right being here in Waterdeep without them." Glow nods her agreement and the two continue hand-in-hand until they reach the group home.

When the others learn of Rio's purchase, and the offer of 10% off, they are eager to visit Elrin's shop as well and we all set out the next day so the rest of the group can look around. Elrin is able to provide an item or two as well as some badly needed information on where the spellcrafters might be able to purchase components.

Later that month, we learn that the Traveller did not accept Merlor as host but has chosen instead a stout halfling named Horatio Huffstickler who owns the Bottomless Kettle Teahouse and is a friend of Estarria's.

END OF SESSION